Beneficiary Decisionmaking: The Impact of Labeling Health Plan Choices

One critical health plan decision concerns choosing an original Medicare plan or a Medicare managed care plan. Evidence suggests that people are confused by the phrase "Original Medicare plan." Using focus group and Q-sort methodology, the authors sought to identify a name for the Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) product. Two key insights were gained. First, participants used the word "Medicare" to name the FFS product. Second, participants did not choose between two plans. Rather, they decided between supplemental insurance and a managed care product. These factors should influence how CMS "brands" not only the FFS product but also the overall Medicare program.